Cut-off mechanism for cigarette machines



Feb. 1 1927.

G. A. wEjNGARTNER CUT-oFF MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES vFiled April 15. 1925 4 sheets-sheet;

IN V EN TOR.

Feb. 1,1927. 1,616,208

G. A. WEINGARTNER CUTfOFF MECHANISM FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Feb. 1 1927.

G. A. WEINGARTNER GUT-OFF MEcnANisM Fo'a CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed Apri; 13. 1925 was' 4 lSheets-Sheet -4 wuuwflulu'um Patented Feb. l,A 1927i UNITED STATESv CUT-OFF MECHANISM FORCIGARETTE MACHINES.-

'PATENT Ic lif1=ie15 application med Ain-i1 1a, 1925; 's'eriai Np. 22,7%..

f Cigarette machines ofthe continuous rod the movement of theguide'and the knife in i type,` have heretofore `been limited 'l iii/:the

output to be derived therefrom by the vi-V` bration .of the cut-olf mechanism, for the reason that this vibration is transmitted to the main frame of the machine. In anycui'f off mechanism for such machines the cutoff .knife must traverse with the cigarette rod during the time of thecut. In general, such a cut-off mechanism consistsof a reciprocating rod guide divided transversely tothe axis thereof for the passagelof the cutoff knife. The-.knife is usuallya rotating ydisk of steel sharpened on the periphery. In

the majority of such mechanisms the fiaine carrying the' knife is rotated through a circular orbitthe plane of which is at a right angle to theplane of the knife disk, and the plane of the knife disk is furthermore at a" right angle to the; axis of the cigarette rod,

and "consequently `to the axis of the rod guidef sincethe axis of the guidemust coincide Wit-h l the axis of the rodwhile itispassing therethrough. The rotary movement of the carrier frame and the reciprocating movement of the rod are so co-related that the f olwhich main mechanism the movements of,l

lowing series of operations is accomplished in unison. .The rod guide is `reciprocated forward and backward in the directionof the axis of the rod which is traversedat a uniform speed through the rod guide by the main mechanism of the machine and-With the cutting mechanism are timed by theuse of positive driving means. During one stroke of the rod guide itisimoving in the same direction as the rod itself. During a portion of this strokethev rotary motion ofl the carrier frame causes the sharpened edge of the knife to pass through the opening in the rod guide and sever the rod, cutting off a cigarette. 'It is obviously desirable that the movement of the rod guide and the movement of 'the knife in a direction Vparallel to,l

the direction of the movement the guide, should closely approximate that of the rod itself. Any ,lack of uniformity of the tivo' movementsl such that A'would 'cause the trav--l cisc of therod guide-tolle faster or slower4 than t-hetraverse of the rod,'\'voi1ld cause the the reciprocation ofnthe guide is produced directly through fa' connection of the rotating mechanism of the knife carrier, as by means of a eonnectingirod or substitute therefor,

type, heretofore in general commercial use.:

the 'passage of the knife: through the rod during the process of severing the same, has been accomplished by the movement of the knife alone. This is accomplished by so locatingthe center of the orbital path of.

the knife carrier that the distance between i this center fand the center of axis of the rod guide, measured along the plane of the orbit traversed by the carrier and in a directionat right angles to the axis 'ofthe rod guide, is less thanthe radius ofthe 0rbit by slightly more than half the diameterof the cigarette. The movement oflthe 'knife during the process of. severing the rod 'must takeplace during the time when the knife and its carrier frame are passing. through a certain arc of its orbital path.

The extent of the movement of the'knifc subtended yduring the severingr of the rod is,

therefore, the versed sine of this arc. The smaller the angle subtended by the are, the

-more uniform the speed of the'travel of the knife along the chord of' the are and the smaller will be'the variation betwenlthe traverse of the knife and the traverse ofthe rod. The shorter the movementv of the knife v ataright4 angle to the axis of the rod','the shorter will he the versed sine of the cutting ai-c, and hence both the included angle .of the yarc itself and the radius of the'orbit of the knife carrier will be correspondingly shorter. The smaller t-lieradius of movement of the 'knife carrier, the less will be the inertia of the Acarrier-and the parts that move With it.' Furthermore, the smaller the radius of the orbit, the more easily the parts moving therethrough maybe balanced effectively. -By reductionv of the inertia of these parts, the greater vvill be the speed at which thecutolf mechanism maybe operated without im-- parting objectional vibration-.to the/balance of the machine,`and the greater will be the output. that Y'may lbe obtained therefrom. y

The main object of this' invention is to produce a cigarette cut-olfmechanism soy constructed that the objectionable inertia effect may be 'reduced to a vminimum and thereby-increa'sethe speed at which it will be practical to'` run the machine. Al'ioth'er` object of my invention is to produce a device in which the knife and its carrier will traverse a circular orbit of small radius as coinpared to the radii of the orbits of similar devices in commercial use, and therefore reduce the inertia e'ect by reducing the amplitude of movement of the parts. Another object. of my invention is to produce a device wherein the angle of the knife car-, rier orbit during which the severing of the-` shall be not -greaterthan that siibtended by an angle of sixtydegi'ees. -Anothcr object of luy-invention is to reduce the parts of the knife carrier which are required to traverse 'the carrier orbit, to the smallest pos` sible number and extent, and to so' dispose these parts that they may be balanced with small weights or the equivalent of balancing Weights. Another object of my invention is to produce a device wherein the movement of the knife during the cutting of the rod is very short, thereby shortening' the versed sine of the arc of the orbit traversed by the carrier during ci'itting, and the necessary radius of the carrier orbit. Another object 4of, my invention is to produce a device whereby lthe rod may be severed by moving the rod into the path of the knife during the cutting thereof, and thereby reduce the movement of the knife and its carrier, thereby accomplishing the cutting movement by reciprocating the comparatively light rod guide rather than the heavier combination of the knife and its carrier parts, thereby transferring thel greater partof the cutting movement to a light part with small inertia, hence reducing vthe cutting iiioveiiieiit of the heavier parts with their much4 greater inertia. Another object of my inveiitfon is to simplify the adjust- .ment-of the device to set it for the accommodation of cigarettes of various lengths. by making this adjustment w .but one adjustl ing screw. Vith these an ailier objects not specificallymentioned iii view, the invention 'onsists in certain combinations. constructions and parts which will be hereinafter described and specifically pointed mitin the claims hereunto appended.

In the A accompanying drawings which front elevation partially 43 and along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and with the carrier removed.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the forward portion of the device 4taken alongtthe line 3 3 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial lrear elevation showing the cam for lifting the rod guide and the rear arm of the bell-crank lever for trans'- 'iiiitting motion from the cam to the rod :guide.

' Fig. 5 is a section of .the main driving shaft taken along t-he line 5-5 of Fig. and showing the parts in lthe relations they assume when the adjustment is set Vfor an orbit of maximum radius, and for cuttingv o ff a cigarette having the greatest length within the capacity of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a section along the same line as that of Fig. 5, but with the parts adjusted for siiiallei' orbit than in Fig. 5, and hence for a shorter cigarette.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of the cutting knife together with a diagram showing the relations of the carrier orbit, and the lift of the rod with the guide.

Fig. 8 is a diagram en a greatly enlarged scale, showing the path of the edge of the knife during the cut, andthe relative posii tions of the rod and the cutting point of. the knife at the various progressive steps; first during the process of severing the rod, and second while the knife is receding from the cut.

In carrying the invention into effect there is provided a knife, a shaft therefor upon which the'knife is mounted, and' a knife carrier containing the bearings for the knife shaft and in which bearings the shaft is mounted. Attached to knifecarrier is a shaft eccentrically mounted' in the maindriving shaft of the device to rotate the carrier in an orbital path. There is further attached to the carrier a cross-head designed to maintain the anis of the knife shaft at' all times parallel to the axis of Athe rod guide. rMeans for revolving the knife at about three times the speed of the. main driving shaft is provided. The rod guide is attached to the cross-head for giving the rod guidera reciprocating motion along -tlie path of the rod, and a mechanism consisting of a face cani and bell-crank levier lis providedforr lifting thea-od iiito the path of the knife during the cutting. Means are provided 'for adjusting the radius of the. orbit', and with it the time ofthe sli-oke. ot' the rod guide lo -pwvidc for the various lengths of cigarettes within the capacity ofthe device.

In the preferred construction, as illustrated in tlieaccompanying (li'awiiigs, the mechanism for producing an orbital movement of the knife carrier consists of a main driving 'shaft operatively connected to the main mechanism of the machine of which the device forms a part,'and timed with thel l Ill machine, and an eccentrically mounted carf rier shaft so designed that the eccentricity of the path of the carrier shaft maybe varied atthe will of the operator from zero.

to the full capacity of the machine, a

cigarettey 90mm. long being the full capac-ll ity of the device shown in the drawings. The particular-form of the device which" has been selected to illustrate the invention is but one of the many concrete `embodiments of the same. Therefore, the invention is not to be restricted t0 the exact details of the particular structure selected as an illustration thereof and shown and described in these specifications and theaccompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, 6 indicates the main frame of my cigarette cut-01T mechanism which may be attached'to bed o1 a cigarette machine by any suitable and convenient means, and it i's in this frame that the majority of the parts of the device are mounted.. Attached to the front of the frame is a cover 7, held in place bymeans of screws 8. In the' rear of the device is a second cover 9, hinged to the frame (Sat 1t) and held in position by means of the spring catch 11. A main driving shaft 12 is mounted in the frame 6 through the medium of the ball bearings 13--13, Vand is therefore free to revolve therein. Upon the rear end of the shaft 12 is a driving gear keyed thereto, which is positively driven from the mechanism of the machine of which this device forms a part. Passing entirely through the shaft 12,-With its axis parallel to, but

cidentwith the axis of 'the' intermediate- 'shaft 15. Within this bore is mounted the not coincident -with the axis of the shaft 12 is an intermediate shaft 15 which' is free to rotate Within the shaft 12, but is made a snug running it thereto. The intermediate shaft 15 is provided with a bore 16, the axis of the bore being parallel to, but not coin- This gear is so lnounted that its center is' in line with the "axis of the bore 16 and hence 'with the axis of the shaft 17,' andit., "is in mesh With the knife shaft pinion 28A mounted on the end of the' knife shaft 21. Attached to the knife carrier 19, and forming a part thereof, is a cross-head guide 29 and vin grooves, provided therein are two rows of `balls 30, forminga ball-bearing.

runway for the vertical leg Q31 of the crosshead comprised of this member and the vhorizontal leg 32 of the `cross-head. The leg 32, in its turn is guided and constrained to travel in a horizontal direction only by means of the guide 33 attached to ,the-cover'l 7, and running on the ball-bearing guide-` way comprised of the ballsA 34, traversing in grooves provided therefor in the guide 33 and in the horizontal leg 32 of the crosshead. I ,i

For the purpose of supporting the cigarette rod to be. severed by the knife 23, a

guide for the rod is provided. The cigarette lrod moves and must be moved in a substantially straight line. In order that it may co` operate' with the knife, the guide must move in cto-ordination with the movementv ofthe orbital movement of the knife carrier and the knife. This movement,as'providedfor in the device being described', is a combina'- tion of a short reciprocating movement, and a short vertical movement during the time that the rod guide is traversing in thel same direction as. the rod. In order to provide for exact co-ordination of the movements of the knife and the guide, the latter is so constructed that it derives itshorizontal movement from the same source as the source of the orbital movement of vthe knife carrier and the knife, that is, it derivesv its move. ment from the axis of the orbital movement ofthe carrier. The guide proper is com-r prised of two tubes in alignment and designed to stand normally in line with the path of the cigarette rod as it is passing from the machine, the leading tube being marked 35 and having the usual flared entrance 3G; and the following tube marked 37, and having thel slightly iared entrance l38, the

.Mvotubes being slightly spaced apart to provide room for the passage of theknife betvvcen them. The leading tube is surrounded with another tube 39 provided with an ex# tended lip or cuttingy ledge 40, preferably made of hardened steel with a polishedsur face, and against which the cutting' edge of the knife bears lightly in order to give a shear cut when'severing the rod. The rod guide together with the ledge are both mounted in the guide holder 41, attachcd'by the bolts 42 to the guide carrier 43, the bolts being passed through the slot 44 provided in the` part 43. This slot permitsa vertical adjustment of the rod vguide to compensate for reduction of the diameter of the knife 23 due to Wear and sharpening. Attached to the r'car of the rod carrier 43 are a pair of groovedsteel guides designed to receive the balls 30 and to slide in a vertical direc-r4 tion on the vertical arm 31 of the .cross-head. Horizontally disposed in the vcarrier 43 is a slot 45 and in this slot isa rollerflG adapted Ato traverse thereimbeing fitted snugly but freely to the slot. vThe roller 46 is mounted on the pin 47, and the pin is attached to the end ofthe lever 48, the lever formingone member of a bell-crankv comprised of the/levers 48, and 49 and the shaft 50, the levers being pinned to the shaft 50,. which is mounted in the bearings 51 and 5.2 foiming a part of the frame 6. The upper end of the lever 49 carries a pin- 53 mounted tl'ureiin` and'on thisl pin lmounted a roller adapted' to trav'- erse the groove 55 provided in; the carni 56. The cam 56 is attached to the gear t4 by means of' the bolts 57, the bolts passing tlirougli the circumferential' slots 58 in the gear and indicatedv by dotted lines inling'.

- 4. the slots permitting of angular adiustment of the cani witli relation tothe gear, and the parts attached to the gear. For the greater portion of the circumference of the cam 56o, the groove is concentric with the center of the cam, .and no movement is given to the lcver 49, duringv the time this portion of the groove is passing over the roller. F or ap proximateiv thirty degrees ot' the circ-unifcrcnce of the cam, the siot is moved radiallyr outward passing around the node 59, and the roller 54 and Vthe lever 4t) are swung outwardly away from the center of the cani,-the movement of the lever 49 being transferred y through the shaft 5() to the lcve1r48, raising the outer end of this lever, and imparting this movement to the carrier 43 through the medium of the pin 47 and the roller 46. This vertical movement of tbc carrier raises the rod guide attached thereto and this 1novenient is so timed that it begins just as the knife 23 has approached the lower portion of its orbit` the lift of they rod guide beginning at the instant the edge of the -knife 23 has reached the upper side of the opening in* the guide, and the start of the cut to sever the rod occurs during this period in the cycle of ope-rations. with relation tothe rod at this precise m o `nient in the cycle is shown in Fig. 7, m

which the orbit traversed by the cutting edge ,of the knife is indicated by the dotted circle G0, and upper and lower edges of the rod by tbe broken lines 61 and 62 respectively.

In any cigarette machine it is necessary to so time the cut-off mechanism with relation to the movements of the other mechanism of the machinethat the cycle of operations of the cutting mechanism is completed during the time that the cigarette rod has traversed a distance equalto the length of the cigari. tte for which it is set. 'lhe length of the average cigarette is 2% inches or 70 nini.,`

and cigarette machines are customarily -designed for lengths of from 65 to 85 or 90 inni. The means provided for adjusting the mechanism to suit the requirements of cig-'1 arettes of various lengths includes an :id iusting screw-l5 fitted 1n a suitable smooth- I v bored opening provlded in the main shaft 12. and held from longitudinal movement relative to the shaft 12 by the screw 16.

The threads of the screw 15 mesh with the- Tlic position of the knife sector 15" of a worm gear cut in the periphery ofthe intermediate shaft 15. The cutoti' mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings is designed for lengths of zero toi 90 min., although the design is adaptable to cigarettes of any length. In all the iigu-res with the exception of Fig. 6, the mechani'sm is shown as adjusted for a cigarette of' the maximum -length or 90 min., for-the reason that this adjustment :is that which l-l tend to produce the greatest distorof the cut from a i'iglit angle to the axis of the rod.v The relations of the parts shown in Fig. 6 are those assumed when the mechanisi-iii is'adjusted 'for cigarettes 65 mm.

hi-ng. The device is so designed that the rai ns of the orbit is one-sixth of the length oit the cigarette for which the machine is Set.

The successive positions of the knife and the rod, during that part of the cycle of the .cnt-eti' mechanism involved in the severing of the rod and during that portion of the cycle during which the knifeand the rod are receding from the cut, are shown on an enlarged scale in Fig. 8. In this figure, a fragment of the knife is shown at 23 in the position the knife should occupy just as it during the cutting of the rod and at inter-- vals of two degrees 0f the circular path of the -cutting point being shown by thc points 23". 23", etc., to 23j indicated by broken lines, with the points resting on the circular are 60 representing the orbital path of the cutting point. The successive positions of the knife during the downward stroke continued after the knife has passed through the rod vare indicated by the points 23k to 23 inclusive, and the remaining points show the successive positions of the knife during the time when the knife and the rod are receding from the cut. The vertical lines 63-63 on the upper side of the base line 64 are projected from the points 23, 23", etc., normal to the base line, the snace between them in loir dicating the intervals measured in a horizontal direction between the various successive positions of the cutting pointof the lines 65--65 below the base line show, on this large scale how closely the point of the knife follows the rod during the cut. Starting at the point y where the knife point 23 meets the orbit at path 60 (inFig. 8) and swinging upwardly and to the left a curve y-y,

crossing the lines 63-63 extended beyond and above the orbital path, the intersections being at the successive points occupied by .the rod guide as it is lifted during the cut, the height of the lift, at any step in the cycle,

being'measured froml the line m-g/ which is. the chord of the are jz/-a lI have drawn a straight line 66 at a right angle to the axis of the rod, and across this line I have drawn the short lines 23a', 23b etc., to indicate the successive vertical positions of the cutting point 23 of the knife blade with relation to the rod, these positions' corresponding to the positions 23, 23h, etc., indicated on the orbital path 60. At the right of line66 I have' drawn a curved line G7 cutting the lines 23a', 23V, etc., at the actualpoints occupied successively by the cut.

ting point of the knife edge 23', these points being indicated by the intersections of the lines 23a', 23', etc., with the curve 67. The space between the line 66 and the curve 67 shows the actual departure from a truly right angle or square cut made by the knife in my cutting off mechanism. The deflections lare laid off as closely as possible to scale, the deflection as shown inthe drawing being the actual deflection magnified about eight times. The maximum deflection from a true right angle cut is experienced when the mechanism is adjusted for cutting off cigarettes of the' maximum length o f 90 mm., the distance measured horizontally between the lines 66 andi" being greatest at the point 23? or when the knife is just half way through" the rod. This deflection for a 90 mm. cigarette is but .00533 inch, and the mean angle of the deflection from a normal to the axis of the rod is 1o 43 20, an angle of cut which is much less than that secured 'by the cutting lmechanism of any otherw cigarettev machine in actual use.' The corresponding deflections for'shorter cigarettes are proportionately less. Itwill be noted by observation of the positions of the lines 63 and 65 during the various successive steps in the cycle after the cut has been completed, that the knife is, at all'times, in

advance of the rod during the time the knife and the rod are receding from the cut.. Hence there is no` time during thisperiod of recession thatl the knife is crowding back against the rod. y

In the operation of my improved cut-olfl mechanism for cigarettes, the only adjustments required are the variation of the radius of the knife carrier orbit, and the position of the no de 59 of the cam to comply with the requirements of the length of the .cigarette andthe adjustment of the height of Athe rod guide holder 41 with relation to rod carrier frame 45 to compensate for the wear of the knife. of the orbit it is required to first loosen the bolts 57 and then to turn the adjusting screw 15, to rotate the intermediate shaft 15 until the radial distance between the centers of the shafts 12 and 17 equal the radius of the required orbit, this radius be` ing equal to one-sixth of the length ofthe cigarette. Rotation of the shaft 15 causes the cam 56 to rotate a corresponding amount,

To adjust the radius and it is but vnecessary to tighten the bolts l 57 to ensure the adjustment being main'- tained. Graduations B on the face of the cam and a registration arrow A on the face of the gear 14 show the operator when the cam is set properly, and corresponding graduations atC near the center of the cam indicate when the shaft 15 has been set properly. The'setting of thisadjustment is not very exacting as a'slight variation from the theoretically correct positions of the cam and the intermediate shaft will make no mechanism that it will make 'one complete 4 cycle or turn of theshaft 12 while the. rod is traversing the lengthv of the cigarette.

.The knife carrier turns through an orbit determined by the setting ofthe device as already explained, the shaft 17 being free to revolve inthe shaft 15 and the'lmifc carrier being constrained from rotating on the axis of the carrier shaft 17 bythe crosshead 3l-32, the shaft 17 must make one revolution on' its aXis for each revolution ofl the mainshaft 12. This produces a turning movement between the gear 26 Aand they pinion 28, rotating the shaft 21 1and vthe knife 23 attached thereto. Restrained from turning around the axis of theshaft 17 and guided bythe cross head 31-32, theplane of the knife 23 is at all times at a ri Iht angle to the axis of the rod. There ore the only variation from a right angle that is possible for the cut is that due to varia# tions between the speed ofirodfwhichis unform, and the speedof the knife in a direction parallel to the axis of the lrod "during cutting. At any point in the orbital path traversed by the knife point, the horizontal *distance from the linew-/ is' determined by .multiplying the radius of the orbit bythe sine of the angle between the radial line passing through the knife point and the line w-Jy. The depth of the cut produced by the downward movement of the knife during this portion of the orbit is the versed sine of the angle of the orbital path at the position when the knife meets the rod, or

the distance-x, Fig. 8. In order to pass the knife through and beyond the rod a distance sufficient to ensure a clean cut, the

radius of the orbit must be large or the angle' passed through during the cutting operation must be large. Customarily the angle of the orbital arc passed over by the knife during the cutting operation is 45 instead of -30 as employed in my invention. This wouldy require that the radius of the orbit shall be fully two and one-half times the radius of the orbit required in the present device when using but 30. The use of 45 makes a considerably greater departure from a right angle or square cut than when but 30 ofthe orbit are employed for this purpose. In any cigarette machine the rod is always whipping back and forth and a slight deiiection of the rod from its `normal path is of no consequence. Hence, such a deflection of the .rod to meet the knife and to pass the. rod across the path of the knife to sever it cannot harmfully affect the product or interfere with the operation of the""c11tofi' mechanism for the reason that the amplitude of .the deliection of the rod required to.cut

hitis less than the amplitude of the normal whip. Raising the rod and passing it across the path of the knife to sever the rod I believe to be new inthe art. Causing theeI knife and the knifel carrier to pursue an orbital path during and between the operations subject 'to frictional wear may be made to` best advantage from an alloy of aluminum such as duralumin, and the runways for such parts as the balls 29 may be made of strips vof tempered steel attached to vthe aluminum. The various parts'of the rod guide as well as the levers 48 and 49 'and the center structure ofthe cross head may be .o f a lightalloy. Attention is called to the .fact thatthe combination of the three shafts 12, 15 and 17 are in substantially perfect balance regardless of the position to which they may be adjusted. Certain of the parts such' asl the knife carrier and the gear 26 may be. counterbalanced for the mean radius at all times, or the counterbalance may be varied with the setting to be correct in any radius. As the mean radius of the orbit is but 12% mm. and the variation therefrom for the longest and theshortest cigarette is but 2% mm. or 20%, a {ixedcounter balance shouldserve the purpose. Such a counter balance may be effected by removing a portion of the rim asindicated at 56. As the only reciprocating parts of the device,

the cross head and the rod guide with its carrier, are comparatively light, and since all parts of the knife carrier are rotating, the operation of the device at speeds from fifty to one hundred per cent'more than is possible with the cutters now in commercial use is thoroughly practical. This would mean an output of from 1,200 to 41,600 cigarettes per minute, or a saving of a considerable outlay in machines,- a saving in floor space, and in the cost of attendance and upkeep for a unit production of cigarettes. A

As the operation of thel device is obvious to those skilled in the art, no explanation thereof, in addition to that given during the description of the lparts and their functions, is necessary.

I elaimz' l 1. The combination with a circular cigarette-cut-off mechanism, of a driving shaft therefor, a carrier for the shaft, and` means for producing a continuous movement of the knife .and the carrier in an orbital path,

-said means including a main cross-head frame, guides therefor, said guides providing means for so constricting the movement of the carrierv that it cannot revolve, but must follow a path lying in a plane at a Y right angle to'the axis of the rod guide, a

carrier shaft attached to said carrier, a main driving spindle, said carrier shaft being supported in bearings in said main driving shaft, the axis of the carrier shaft and said main driving shaft being parallel one to thc other, and said carrier shaft being eccen.- trically mounted in said main driving shaft.

2. '1`he combination with a circular cigarette cut-oifknife, of a driving shaft therefor, a carrier for said shaft, means for producing a continuous movement of the carrier in an orbital path, said means including -a series of three shafts nested, the axes of the three shafts being parallel one with the others, and the main outer shaft being, supplied with-driving means. A

3. The combination with a circular/cigarette cutting knife, of a carrier for the knife, means for` producing a continuous Aorbital movement of the carrier, said orbit being of substantially circular contour, and

`means for lvarying the radius of the said circular orbit.

.4. In aI means for producing an orbital movement of the carrier of a `circular cigarette cut-off knife, the combination of two hollow and one solid shaft, including an outer main driving shaft,. said 'main shaft being provided with a bore therethrough, the axis ofv said bore being parallel to the axis ofthe main shaft but offset therefrom, a second shaft within the boreof the main shaft, and free to be rotated therein, said second Shaft being provided -with a -bore therethrough, the axis of said bore being parallelI to the axis of second shaft but offset therefrom, a third shaft mounted in bearings within said second shaft and passing through said second shaft, and means for rotating said second shaft on its axis for the purpose of adjusting the radius of the path of said orbital movement.

5. In a mechanism for producing an or; bital movement of the carrier of a' cigarette cut-off knife, a means for adjusting the radius of said orbital movement including a set of three nested shafts, the outer two of the said shafts being provided with bores 'therethrougli, and means for rotating-.the

intermediate shaft consisting of a wormf gear on the periphery Jghere'of, a screw mounted in the outer shaft, said screw being constrained-against longitudinal movement mounted on said shaft, a main driving shaft,

an intermediate. shaft, an interior shaft, a bevel gear mounted on said intermediate shaft, the center of said bevel gear coinciding with the axis of said interior shaft, said bevel gear meshing with said driving pinion, means for driving said main shaft whereby the bevel gear is rotated and thereby rotates the cut-off'knife driving pinion.

' `7. In a cigarette cutfoff mechanism,.a vcircular knife, a carrier for the knife, means for producing a continuous orbital movementl of the knife carrier, a cross-bar comprising avertical and a horizontal member, fixed guide bars adapted to receive the horizontal member of the cross-bar, whereby the cross-bar is constrained to reciprocate in a horizontal direction-only, guide bars on the knife carrier and fixed thereto, the said guide bars adapted'to receive the vertical member of the cross-bar, whereby the horizontal comorient of the movement of the knife carrier 1s imparted to the cross-bar, a rod guide, a

carrier for the rod guide, means for raisingand lowering the rod-guide carrier, guide bars on the rod-guide carrier and fixed thereto, said guide bars adapted to receive thevertical member of the cross-bar, whereby the rod guide in its vertical movement must be guided by the vertical member of the .crosslbar, the aforesaid combination 'adapted to lmaintain the horizontal component of the movement .of the rod guide at all times in unison withthe horizontal component of the movement of the knife carrier, to the extent that the rod guide neither recedes from nor approaches in a horizontal direction the knife at any period in the operation of the cut-off mechanism.

8. The combination with a. cigarette rod guide, of a circular' knife, a carrier 'for the knife, a shaft for the carrier, mechanism for producing a continuous movement of the carrier, the carrier shaft and theknife in an 'angles to land offset from said guide, and

means for rotating said knife including an operating member on the axis of said carrier shaft.

10. The combination with'a reciprocating cigarette rod gui-de, of a. circular knife, a carrier for the knife, a shaft for the carri-er, means for producing a continuous movement of the kcarrier and the shaft together with the knife vin an orbital path about an axis at right angles to and offset from the guide and in co-ordination with the reciprocating movement of the guide, and means for rotating the knife including an operating meni-A vber on the axis of the carrier shaft.

1l. The combination with a reciprocating cigarette rod guide, of a circular knife,l a carrier for the knife, a. shaft attached to the carrier, mechanism for producing a' vcontinuons movement of the shaft in a vertical oi'- bital path about an axis at right angles to and above the guide and in co'ordination with the r ciprocating movement of the cluding an operating member on the axis of the carrier shaft. l

12. The combination with a reciprocating cigarette rod guide, of a circular knife, a carrier for the knife, .a shaft for the carrier, means for producing a continuous movenent of the carrier, the shaft and the knife about an axis at right angles to and offset from the axis of said guide, means for rotating the knife including an operating member on the axis of the ,carrier shaft, and means for maintaining the plane of the knife and they axis of the guide in a right angle relation throughout the movement of the carrier.

13. The combination with a cigarette rod lll) guide, and Ineans for rotating the knife inguide, of a circular knife, a carrier forv the for adjusting the distance between the car'- ricr and the rod guide, including a separable guide holder and carrier frame therefor, bolts in thc guide holder and a slot in the guide carrier to receive the bolts.

14. -The combination with a circular cigarette cut olf knife, of a carrier for the knife, a shaft for the carrier, mechanism for producing a continuous movement of the carrier and knife in an orbital path, and knife rotating mechanism including a gear on the axis of the carrier shaft, said gear fixed to the bearing surrounding said shaft, a knife shaft mounted .in the carrier at right angles to the axis ofthe orbital movement, and a` pinion on said knife shaft in mesh with the gear surrounding the axis of the carrier shaft.

15'. lThe combination with a reciprocating cigarette rod guide, of a knife, a carrier for said knife, means for producing a continuous orbital movement ofthe carrier in an orbital 'path about an axis at right angles to and offsetl lfrom the axis of the guide, and in I' -co-ordination With the reciprocating movement of said guide, a main driving shaft, a carrier shaft attached to the said carrier, the axis `of the carrier shaft bein parallel to the axis of the mainshaft and o set therefrom, a bevel gear attached to said main shaft, the axis of said gear being coincident with the axis of said carrir shaft, a knife shaft, a bevel pinion of said knife shaft, said pinion meshing with .said gear, the source of motion of said knife being derived from the motion of said main shaft through the planetary motion of the said gear and pinion. 'A

16. The combination with a reciprocating cigarette. rod guide, of a knife carrier, a

shaft attached to said' carrier, a knife shaft v at right angles to said carrier shaft a main driving shaft, the axes of said sha ts being parallel but offset, said carrier shaft being free to turn on bearingsl in said main shaft, a bevel gear attached to said main shaft, the center of said bevel gear being in line @with the axis of the carrier shaft, a pinionon the knife shaft, said gear and said pinion ifi mesh, said knife carrier being restrained from lrotating but free to move in either a vertical or a horizontal direction, the axis of the knife shaft being maintained parallel to the axis of the rod guide, and means to rotate the main shaft whereby the knife shaft is rotated by the planetary .movement of the pinion in an orbital path.

17. The combination with a circular cigarette cut-off knife, of a carrier for the knife, a carrier shaft pinned to the knife carrier, a main driving shaft, an intermediate shaft within said main shaft,'the axis of the inter# mediate shaft being parallel tothe axis of the driving shaft but offset therefrom, the v said carrier shaft being Within said intermediate shaft, the axis of the carrier shaft beingparallel to the axis of the intermediate shaft but offset therefrom, a Worm gear sector in the periphery of said intermediate sha'ft, and a Worm screw journaled in said main shaft, the threads of said worm meshing with the teeth of the worm gear sector on said-intermediate shaft for the purpose of rotating said intermediate shaft on its axis,'and thereby varying the radial distance between the axis of the main shaft `andthe axis of the carrier shaft.

18. In-a ycut-off mechanism for cigarette vof said rod guide.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

GEORGE A. WEIN GARTNER. 

